Beer Buzz: The Great COntenders

With hundreds of breweries setting up shop at the Great American Beer Festival, the intimidation factor is high, and you’d be crazy not to prepare yourself. Read our survival guide to get mentally primed. But, even more important: Ready your liver with a test run at tomorrow’s Great COntenders event at Wynkoop Brewing Company.

For just $25 (in advance—buy tickets online) or $30 (at the door), you can sample 52 beers from 22 Colorado breweries. And you know they’ll be good: Every beer is either a previous medal winner at GABF or the World Beer Cup or have been entered into judging this year. Sample old favorites—Avery Brewing‘s IPA, New Belgium‘s Mothership Wit—alongside tastes from brand-new breweries like Caution Brewing Company and Renegade Brewing Company.

Couldn’t get a ticket to the GABF? Well, this is a pretty good alternative—and advance ticket buyers will be entered to win a pair of tickets to one session of the sold-out extravaganza.